Snow and ice disposal device



April 19, 1949.

A. J. CAYAS SNOW AND ICE DISPOSAL DEVICE Filed March 5, 1947 ,1 6 I v am 6 E m V 4 '65 1121 8; for

Q J A Patented Apr. 19, 1949 UNITED s'l OFF! CE SNGW ICE DISEQSAL DEVIEE Alex J. Cayas, Glendale, Calif.

Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,477

Claims. 1

"This invention relates to devices for the dispo'sal'oi snow and ice through the melting thereof and the conduction of the resultant liquid to a sewer'orthe like, to the end that such disposal may be accomplished without the necessity of transporting snow and ice to remote points, thereby saving a, great deal of time and expense as 'for examplein'the clearing of city streets by the present method of utilizing a fleet of trucks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of'this character comprising a receptacle which may be mounted on a truck or other vehicle body, such mounting either being permanent or temporary, as found most desirable, in the latter case'the receptacle having hooks or other similar members at its'upper extremity for hanging the receptacle from the top edges of the side walls of the truck, whereby existing trucks used by municipalities forvarious services may be readily convertedfor the disposal of snow and ice.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a-snow and ice receiving plate having upwardly directed spikes or other suitable members for'dividing large'shunks of snow and ice into smaller masses in order to expedite the melting thereof by a heating means disposed beneath said plate, and a shaft for rotating said plate to prevent'undue piling of the snow and ice thereon, as well as to create an agitation of the snow and ice to a degree conducive to the quicker melting thereof, and for centrifugally acting upon the resultant liquid to quickly expei the same from said plate.

This application constitutes a continuationdn part of my application vfiled November 21, 1946, under the Serial No. 711,366 and entitled Device for the disposal of snow, ice, garbage and ashes With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts as will be disclosed more'fully hereinafter and particularly covered by the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts mall the views- Fig. 1 isa top plan View of a device made in accordance with this invention;

Fig, 2 is a vertical sectional View of the parts shown in Fig. 1, takenas on the line 2-2 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the snow and ice receiving plate.

The device comprises a receptacle of any convenient, though preferably polygonal, form having the bottom wall 2 and side walls such as 3 extending upwardly therefrom to an open top. Hooks such as 4 may be provided at the-upper extremities of said side walls whereby the receptable may be hung on the top edges of the sides of a truck or other vehicle, said receptacle being disposed within the confines of said truck. One or more suitable drains such as 5 may be'provided in the side walls 3 adjacent the bottom wall 2, or said bottom wall may be provided with such drains as indicated at 5.

A rigid member such as a metallic channel 10 is disposed between the median points of two uppcsite side walls adjacent the bottom of the receptacle, and this channel supports the snow and ice receiving plate generally identified by the numeral l, as well as the heating means associated therewith. The heating means may be of any suitable character though in the drawings it'is illustrated as an electrical resistance element l2 of well known nature such as a wire coil receiving electric current as from the wires l3 and M from a suitable source of energy.

The snow and ice receiving plate H has a plurality of openings 15 through which the melted snow and ice may drain. From its upper surface extend a plurality of sharpened spikes such as it for dividing large chunks of snow and ice into smaller masses when thrown thereon. This plate is preferably circular and is provided at its center with a downwardly extending shaft ll by which it may be rotated, said shaft having suit able bearings in the channel member 10, there being provided a collar i8 aiding in the support of said shaft and plate, said shaft being either continuous through the bottom wall of the receptacle and connected to a source of power, or made sectionally with the ends of the sections having complemental interconnecting formations, as well understood, for the transmission of power.

Intermediate the channel member so and said plate, there is provided a partition 2% secured to the side Walls of the receptacle, said partition being disposed at an angle to the horizontal as clearly shown in Fig. 2 and, provided with drainage means by which the melted snow and ice may pass into the lowermost portion of the receptacle. In the drawings said partition is illustrated as stopping short or one side wall of the receptacle to provide the passageway 2| serving as such a drainage means. This partition is strengthened and partially supported from the channel member IQ by virtue of spacing nipples 22 interposed therebetween, with securing bolts 23 passing through said nipples. The heating element is mounted upon the upper surface of said partition and comprises an electrical insulating medium 24, such as mica, asbestos or non-conducting clay, which carries the heating coil l2, with a cover or casing 25 secured to said partition and protectively covering said coil.

In operation, the snow and ice is thrown onto the receiving plate H where it is melted by the heating means therebelow, and the resultant liquid passes through the openings I 5 of said plate onto the partition 20 to escape therefrom through the drainage passageway 2| into the lower portion of the receptacle, and thence said liquid passes through the drains such as 5 or 6 to a sewer or the like through the instrumentality of a pipe or hose as readily understood. Said plate is given rotation to prevent undesired piling up of the snow and ice thereon, as well as to expedite through centrifugal action the discharge of the resultant liquid therefrom.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of this invention and therefore it is desired not to be limited to the exact foregoing disclosure except as may be required by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for the disposal of snow and ice, comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side Walls extending upwardly therefrom to an open top, an apertured snow and ice receiving plate of suflicient rigidity to withstand the impact of snow and ice projected thereon as by shovelling, said plate disposed substantially horizontally at the open top of said receptacle and provided with upwardly directed members for dividing large chunks of snow and ice into smaller masses when said chunks are projected thereon, a partition disposed below said plate and carrying a heating means for melting the snow and ice received by said plate, said partition having drainage into the lower portion of said receptacle, said partition comprising an imperforate portion serving to cover the heating means and to receive the resultant liquid of said melting from said plate, and means for draining said receptacle.

2. A device for the disposal of snow and ice, comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom to an open top, an apertured snow and ice receiving plate disposed substantially horizontally at the open top of said receptacle and provided with upwardly directed members for dividing large chunks of snow and ice into smaller masses, an imperforate partition disposed below said plate and carrying a heating means for melting the snow and ice received by said plate, said partition secured to side walls of the receptacle and disposed at an angle to the horizontal and having its lowermost edge spaced from one of the side walls of the receptacle whereby to provide drainage into the lower portion of said receptacle, and means for draining said receptacle.

3. A device for the disposal of snow and ice, comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom to an open top, a snow and ice receiving plate disposed substantially horizontally at the open top of said receptacle and provided with upwardly directed members for dividing large chunks of snow and ice into smaller masses, a partition disposed below said plate and carrying a heating means for melting the snow and ice received by said plate, said partition having drainage into the lower portion of said receptacle, means extending through said partition for rotating said plate, and means for draining said receptacle.

4. A device for the disposal of snow and ice comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall and side walls extending upwardly therefrom to an open top, a rotatable snow and ice receiving plate disposed substantially horizontally at the open top of said receptacle and provided with upwardly directed prong-like members for dividing large chunks of snow and ice into smaller masses when said chunks are projected thereon, a partition disposed below said plate and carrying a heating means for melting the snow and ice received by said plate, said partition having drainage into the lower portion of said receptacle, a substantially vertical shaft constituting means for rotating said plate, said shaft extending downwardly through said heating means and said partition, and means for draining said.

receptacle.

5. A device for the disposal of snow and ice, comprising a receptacle having bottom and side walls as well as an open top, a rotatable snow and ice receiving plate of sufficient rigidity to Withstand the impact of snow and ice projected thereon as by shovelling, said plate disposed sub-. stantially horizontally at the open top of said receptacle and provided with drainage openings as well as with upwardly directed prong-like members for dividing large chunks of snow and ice into smaller masses when said chunks are projected thereon, an imperforate partition disposed above the bottom wall of said receptacle and below said plate and carrying a heating means adapted to heat said plate in its entirety for melting the snow and ice received by said plate, said partition secured to side walls of the receptacle and disposed at an angle to the hori zontal and having its lowermost edge spaced from one of the side walls of the receptacle whereby to provide drainage into the lower por-.

tion of said receptacle, a substantially vertical shaft the upper end of which is secured to the approximate center of said plate, said shaft extending downwardly through said heating means and said partition, and means for draining said receptacle.

ALEX J. CAYAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 428,670 Ferrell May 27, 1890 506,498 Healy et al. Oct. 10, 1893 540,026 Piatti May 28, 1895 634,021 Palmer Oct. 3, 1899 770,169 Davis Sept. 13, 1904 807,521 Walker Dec. 19, 1905 830,305 Cruise Sept. 4, 1906 1,386,137 Squire Aug. 2, 19 1- ass 

